A Dark Destiny
by SlytherinRose547
Summary: Hermione Granger is not who she thinks she is... What will happen when she finds out she is the Heir and Daughter of the two most evil witch and wizard of time? What happens when she learns to accept it all and acts out her role as the Heir and betrothed to her blonde-haired cousin?
1. Prologue

A Dark Destiny

**Prologue**

**September 19, 1979**

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

A loud, ear-piercing and blood-curling scream rang out in the Lestrange manor as the lady of the house, Bellatrix Lestrange pushed the baby out from her body and into the world. The witch lay down, exhausted and covered with sweat. Her newly-born baby's cry echoed in the room. She smiled softly. It was like music to her ears…

* * *

**Albus Dumbledore's office:**

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were having a nice chat when the grandfather clock in the corner chimed 11:30 pm. Quick as a flash, Dumbledore rose up from his chair and stared out of the window, much to McGonagall's confusion.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore in a stern voice, still looking out of the window. "Send a patronus to the other Order members and tell them to come into my office as quickly as they could. Tell them it's urgent."

"Why?" asked McGonagall, completely perplexed and bewildered. "What is the matter, Albus?"

Dumbledore turned to her with a worried and scared expression. "THE HEIR IS BORN."

* * *

Her husband, Rodolphus is watching from the corner, while her sister, Narcissa Malfoy held her hand and whispered words of comfort. Although exhausted from the pain, Bellatrix smiled, knowing she had fulfilled her lord's wishes.

Seconds later, the healer/Death Eater who assisted Bellatrix in her childbirth, handed Narcissa the baby, rather than giving it directly to Bellatrix. Narcissa cradled the baby gently and slightly pushed aside the cloth that covered the baby's face. Peering at the baby's face, Narcissa smiled. "Oh, Bella," Narcissa sighed, "Your daughter is such an adorable little angel." She then turned to her older sister whose eyes are half closed. "Would you like to hold her, Bella?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you, Cissy," Bellatrix smiled. She reached out her hand weakly, but eagerly.

Bellatrix's exhausted expression lit up when her sister placed her baby in her hands. She looked down at her daughter with a lovesick expression. The child gazed up with her with sparkling black eyes. Her pale complexion greatly matched with her mother's and a tuft of dark brown hair is spurting out from her soft scalp. Bellatrix sighed. Never had she felt this ecstatic in her entire life!

Voldemort came to her nine months ago and discussed to her about the importance of having an heir. An heir coming from his own flesh and blood. And he wished that she would be the one to bear his heir. And she was more than willing! Here was the man she truly loved, asking her to bear his child! How could she refuse?

And now, here is the result, right in front of her. Gazing at her with so much innocence. Bellatrix can't help but sigh again. "She's got my eyes…" she said. Narcissa smiled at her sister. She knew that Bellatrix waited a long time for this. She loved seeing her sister happy. Bellatrix looked up to meet her sister's eyes and then back to her daughter again. It was like magnetism. Bellatrix can't take her eyes away from her beautiful daughter. "She's perfect…" she sighed again.

The baby's eyes screwed shut and she looked like she was going to cry. Bellatrix started to rock her back and forth. "Don't cry, my Cassie," she cooed, "Mother's here. Father is going to be here soon." She was so enamored with her baby that she didn't notice Rodolphus snort in annoyance.

"Oh she's just like her cousin," Narcissa chuckled softly, remembering her own son who was born 3 months earlier. "What do you want to name her, Bella?" Still not looking up, Bellatrix said, "The Dark Lord's wishes and choices must come first, Cissa. But if he allows me, I would like to name her Cassiopeia." Just then, the baby's eyes opened and Bellatrix gasped. "Cissa…"

"What? What is it, Bella?" Narcissa queried. "Her eyes…" Bellatrix said excitedly. "They just turned red… She has her father's eyes! She has my lord's eyes!" Narcissa peered at her niece and true enough, the baby's eyes became red. Then, as sudden as the color of the baby's eyes changed, the color of the baby's eyes turned a warm shade of brown.

"This is unbelievable, Bella!" gasped Narcissa, referring to the change in her niece's eyes. "Believe it, Cissy," Bellatrix grinned proudly. "She is the Dark Lord's heir after all."

Their conversation was cut short when the door to the bedroom burst open and in walked Narcissa's husband, Lucius Malfoy.

"Lucius!" Narcissa exclaimed, standing up. "Narcissa," Lucius greeted before kissing Narcissa briefly on the lips, an action resulting to Bellatrix making a disgusted face and imitating a gagging gesture. Lucius looked at her before sending her an annoyed glare and said, "The Dark Lord is coming."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the door opened and in walked the Dark Lord himself flanked by the Death Eaters. The Malfoys bowed while Bellatrix bowed her head. Voldemort acknowledged them with a nod and went straight to Bellatrix.

"My lord," Bellatrix said, lowering her eyelids and bowing her head. "Bellatrix, dear," Voldemort said calmly. "Are you alright?" He caressed Bellatrix's cheek with one hand. "Never better, my lord," she replied. Voldemort smiled at the mother of his heir. "You did perfectly, my love." Bellatrix smiled and handed him the baby, who giggled. "Your heir, my lord."

Voldemort took the baby in his arms and cradled it. He looked at it with awe, pride, glee and sheer triumph. "What is her name?" he asked her. "I wanted to name her Cassiopeia, but I waited for my lord to come," Bellatrix explained. "Your wishes and choices must come first." Voldemort smiled at the baby and then to his most loyal servant. "Indeed, Bella." He then added, "I would like to call her, Vixelle Serpens. And since you are her mother," (at this, Bellatrix smiled) "she shall be named Vixelle Serpens Cassiopeia Lestrange-Riddle."

Half of Bellatrix beamed with pride. But half of her wanted to scowl at her daughter's name. No, not the child's given name, but the surname. She hated her married surname. She never wanted to marry Rodolphus in the first place! It was Tom Riddle she loved, not Rodolphus Lestrange! If she can't marry Voldemort, so be it. May she stay single all her life, but at least, she has Voldemort by her side. Hell, if Rodolphus and all the Death Eaters weren't there, she would have openly and loudly protested against her daughter's name. But she can't. Not right now. Time will come that her daughter will not be a Lestrange but a Black; Vixelle Serpens Cassiopeia Black - Riddle.

"It is a nice name, my lord," she breathes. "More than perfect."

"Looks like my daughter is in for a treat, tonight," Voldemort smiled down at Vixelle. He cradled the baby in one hand and raised his wand in front of her. "My lord? May I ask what you're doing?" Narcissa asked a tad fearfully. "Oh, you'll know soon, Narcissa," Voldemort said. He then began chanting spells. "Leporem vitalus animus obligatus," he said while pointing his wand to his daughter. A black mist with a faint green glow escaped Voldemort's body. Lightning flashed, thunder roared and the rain began beating down heavily on the roof of the manor. The mist encircled father and child while the Dark Lord continued chanting. The Death Eaters were looking on anxiously. Narcissa is watching worriedly. Bellatrix is smiling proudly. Voldemort is beaming triumphantly. "Leporem vitalus animus obligatus ergo HORCRUX!" Voldemort exclaimed. The skin on Vixelle's left wrist began to glow and she started crying. The mist started to let itself be absorbed by that particular spot in Vixelle's arm. It was like being sucked. The mist became smaller and smaller as the heir absorbed it all. Finally, the mist was gone, an "s" shaped scar sealing it. "Calm down, my "dark princess"," Voldemort whispered to his daughter, "you are now a part of me."

The thunderstorm seemed to welcome the heir to the greatest and most feared Dark Wizard of his time. Voldemort turned to his followers and raised the crying baby high up in the air. "To my loyal followers!" he said. "The most anticipated time has come! I now present to you the daughter of the dark, the heir of Lord Voldemort, Vixelle Serpens Cassiopeia Riddle!"

The Death-Eaters bowed their heads in respect to their young mistress. Voldemort beamed with pride before lowering his daughter and handing it back to a grinning Bellatrix. They smiled at each other and Voldemort turned to face Lucius.

"Lucius," Voldemort said. "Yes, my lord?" said Lucius, bowing his head. "Your son, was born three months ago, am I right?" Voldemort asked. "Yes, he is, my lord. His name is Draco Lucius Malfoy," Lucius replied.  
"I have a very important proposal for you," Voldemort quipped, "You must be grateful that you are the one I chose, Lucius. Or rather, your son is given the greatest honor." Lucius nodded and Voldemort leaned in to his ear to whisper his offer.

Narcissa saw the look on her husband's face as Voldemort whispered his offer to him. Lucius appeared to be shocked at first, then, it turned to glee, then pride, then solemnity. Voldemort pulled away and Lucius nodded once more, saying, "I am most honored, my lord."

Narcissa gripped her husband's arm. "What is it, Lucius?" she asked. Lucius smiled down at his wife before speaking, "He wants-"

A loud bang resounded in the Manor. "FIND THEM!"

"Minerva McGonagall!" whispered Narcissa in panic. All the Death Eaters' faces paled. Voldemort's eyes however were seething with rage.

"Surely you're not planning to hurt my new-born niece," said another female voice; Andromeda Tonks. "No, we won't, Andromeda," said an old male voice, "We won't hurt her. But we won't risk having Tom's heir grow up with them. She can be more powerful than her father when she is of age."

"Dumbledore, that old, demented sap!" Bellatrix cried shrilly. _There is no way an old, gay, loony geezer is going to take her daughter away from her! No group of goody-good wizards, witches, blood traitors and mudblood lovers can and will, either!_

"Don't worry, my love," Voldemort said, walking over to her, "I will not let them." He kissed her forehead and turned to his minions. "HOLD THEM OFF!" he roared. "DON'T LET THEM FIND THEM! "Serve your mistress! Protect my heir!"

The sounds of the Order's members' voices were getting closer. _Oh, no! _ thought Bellatrix. "My lord, you have to go!" Bellatrix pleaded. "Please! They'll find you!"

"But my heir! I'm not leaving you and our daughter!" Voldemort protested. Fear for the man she loved drove Bellatrix to beg desperately and stand up to him. She looked around and noticed that only a few Death Eaters were left. Some left; some were stupefied in their attempts to protect the Dark Lord and his daughter. "You heard the old man," she said, "They will not hurt her." "They'll take her away from us!" Voldemort bellowed. "I'd die before that happens," she said firmly. "Please. You've got to go! We'll be alright. Tom, please," she said, saying Voldemort's given name, "Even if you don't do it for me, do it for Vixelle. Do it for your heir."

Voldemort looked at her uncertainly and then walked towards her. "I'll be back," he said kissing Bellatrix. He leaned down to his daughter. "I'll be back for you, Vixelle," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead and apparated.

Meanwhile, Narcissa is having a problem. "Narcissa, let's go!" Lucius said, grabbing his wife's arm. "But-" she said. She turned her head and saw her sister and her niece in the bedroom. _She probably persuaded the Dark Lord to leave, _she thought. _Oh, Bella._ Her love for her sister took over the fear and panic that she felt. "You go, Lucius," she said, wriggling her arm from his grasp. "Narcissa, what are you talking about?" Lucius asked, turning to look at her. "You apparate," she replied. "I'm staying."

Lucius paled. "WHAT?!" he hissed, "Have you gone mad? You'll be caught! You can't risk that! I can't risk that!" Lucius' cold, metallic gray eyes softened as he looked at his wife. "Narcissa, please…" Narcissa looked at her husband and then at the master bedroom where her sister was in. She saw Rodolphus rushing towards the bedroom. She looked back at her husband and said, "I'm sorry, Lucius," she sighed and pulled his hand away from her arm. She then stepped away from him, walking backwards. "My sister and niece need me." She then turned away and rushed to the bedroom.

Lucius was about to call her when he heard footsteps getting closer. He looked after his wife and then back to the direction of the footsteps before apparating back to Malfoy Manor.

"Cissy!" Bellatrix exclaimed when she saw her sister rush inside the room. Narcissa ignored her and turned to face Rodolphus. "Rodolphus, you handle them," she said, with much authority in her voice, pointing to the direction of the grand staircase. "On it, Narcissa," Rodolphus replied, running past her. "Narcissa Black Malfoy!" Bellatrix shrieked once Rodolphus left the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Leave! Now!" "I'm not leaving you!" Narcissa hissed. "Or Vixelle!" "But-"

"Move out of the way, Lestrange!" said a gruff male voice. The two sisters turned their heads. "In your dreams, Mad-Eye!" yelled Rodolphus. Sure, he didn't love Bellatrix, but she is his wife, and thus, she is his responsibility. "I said, move," yelled Alastor Moody. "Or I swear to Merlin that I will make you." "I'd like to see you try." Then, there was silence. Narcissa and Bellatrix looked perplexed. The latter looked down on her daughter and saw that she is asleep, despite of all the commotion. What could have happened? Then…

"STUPEFY!"

Narcissa panicked. It wasn't Rodolphus' voice… She stood up and looked around wildly. No, she's not letting her sister and niece get caught. She got out of the bedroom and closed the door. She'll risk it. After closing the door, she turned around, in time to face the whole Order.

"Narcissa Malfoy," McGonagall said.

"I'm flattered you still remember me, _Professor," _Narcissa replied coldly.

"We're not here to patronize you or grovel at your feet, Malfoy," Mad-Eye spat. Narcissa smirked. "Oh?" she said, not missing a beat. "Well, pity, because I have been expecting that one." "Out of the way, Malfoy," Mad-Eye seethed. Narcissa defiantly crossed her arms. "Move it, cousin," Sirius Black said, stepping forward. "Don't make this any more difficult." "Since when did I take orders from a blood traitor?" she smirked smugly. "I SAID GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Mad-Eye hissed, raising his wand at Narcissa who still didn't make a move. "Alastor!" said a brown-haired woman, putting a hand on his arm to restrain him. "I'll handle this." Mad-Eye looked at the woman and growled but lowered his arm. Narcissa raised her eyebrows at the woman. "Well, well, well," she said, "If it isn't my dear sister." "Narcissa, I'm begging you," Andromeda pleaded. "Move aside. You know it is very dangerous if his heir grow up with them." Narcissa tilted her head to the side, with a nonchalant expression.

Mad-Eye's temper flared and pushed Narcissa aside. Narcissa stumbled to the side.

Narcissa looked on in panic while she tried to regain her balance as the Order barged in the door.

The Order saw Bellatrix sitting on the bed covered with blood-stained linen and cradling her baby protectively in her arms. Her eyes lit up in mock enthusiasm. "Ah," she quipped. "Albus Dumbledore. I'm so glad you paid a visit. Come to present yourself as godfather to my daughter?" she then grinned viciously. "Too bad, I'm not letting a loony fag be my Vixelle's godfather."

"Mrs. Lestrange, give us the baby," Dumbledore said holding out his hand. "You're bloody mental if you think I'm going to hand my child to you," Bellatrix spat out, holding her daughter close to her. Dumbledore turned to look at Andromeda. The woman nodded and stepped forward. Narcissa took action and started to barge her way through the Order.

"Bella, please, give us the baby," Andromeda coaxed softly, as if speaking to a 5 year-old. Bellatrix glared at her and growled, drawing Vixelle closer to her. Andromeda held out her hand towards Bellatrix's direction. "Bellatrix-" "You are such a filthy hypocrite, Andromeda Tonks," Narcissa screeched, protecting Bellatrix and Vixelle by standing in front of the bed, serving as a barrier between the two parties. "Oh, the irony!" Narcissa smirked, dramatically crossing her arms in front of her. "You, Andromeda dear, were the one to claim that you were the only person in our family to have a _heart_ by becoming a filthy blood traitor and marrying that Mudblood Tonks!"

The Order members looked at her, confused. "My point?" Narcissa jeered at her older sister. "You claim to have a heart. Don't you think it's _heartless, _taking a baby away from its mother?"

Andromeda flinched at her younger sister's words, while Narcissa smirked. Mad-Eye lost his patience and raised his wand once more.

"_Stupefy!"_

Narcissa dropped to the floor in a heap. The Stunning Spell hit her square in the chest. "Cissa!" Bellatrix screeched. _Nobody hurts my Cissy! _She thought. "How dare you hurt my sister?!"

"Hand over the baby, Lestrange!" McGonagall said. "You stunned my sister," Bellatrix said, "You expect me to hand my child over to you?! Ha! A load of thick brain cells you lot have!"

"Enough of your impertinence, Lestrange!" Mad-Eye said. "_Corpus Immobulus!" _

With those words, Bellatrix's body snapped together, leaving only her head in motion. "What the-" Bellatrix yelled. "What have you done to me, you demented eye-swiveling Cyclops?!" They all ignored her insults. Mad-Eye glanced at Dumbledore who gave him a nod. Mad-Eye stepped forward and snatched the now crying baby (probably awakened by the commotion and her mother's screaming) from Bellatrix's arms. "What the heck are you doing?!" Bellatrix yelled. "Give me back my daughter!"

Mad-Eye turned and gave the baby to McGonagall. Bellatrix thrashed her head wildly, providing that she can't move. "Give her back to me, you vermins! You dare touch her, the Heir of the Dark Lord, with your filthy Mudblood loving hands! Hand her over! Give her!"

McGonagall cast her withering gaze. "We will not let you bring up another evil in this world, Lestrange! We will not let this innocent child be brought up hating Muggle-borns and thinking of them inferior. She will not be an instrument to spread racism and prejudiced ideals. She will not be brought up in a household full of darkness and evil. We will not let her become an evil, cold-blooded witch!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lestrange," Dumbledore said in a grave and stern voice, "But you will never see your daughter again."

"NO!" Bellatrix yelled. "No! Give her back to me! I swear by the graves of Merlin, Morgana and Slytherin, I will kill you all! I will get her! Give her back!"

The Order turned to leave, with Andromeda looking sadly at her sisters; her youngest sister who is sprawled unconscious on the floor and her oldest sister, who is violently shaking her head, swearing on all the powerful Wizards and Witches and their ancestors and screaming obscenities and profanities at the Order at the top of her lungs. Sirius put a comforting arm around his favorite cousin's shoulders and with one last look at his other cousins, gave Andromeda an encouraging squeeze before ushering her towards the door…

And contrary to what people would say years later, Bellatrix Lestrange is slowly starting to lose the webs of her sanity after this fateful incident…

* * *

**Number 12 Grimmauld Place:**

"What are we going to do with her, then?" Sirius asked Dumbledore. "Where will she stay?"

Before Dumbledore can answer, Andromeda spoke up. "I can adopt her. Nymphadora will be thrilled to have a sister."

"We can't risk that, Andromeda," McGonagall spoke up. "It will be too obvious. They will suspect that we have the child under our care."

"A very good theory, Minerva," Albus said. "That's why I want her to be raised in a low-key household. Where they can't suspect, the Heir will be."

"Meaning?" Sirius prodded.

"She will not be brought up in the Wizarding World," Albus said in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

"You mean to say…" Andromeda trailed.

"She will be raised as a Muggle," the Headmaster nodded. "But," Lupin spoke up, "Won't it be dangerous for the ones who will be raising her?"

"I will set up wards around that house, just in case," Albus said. "Ever since Severus told me that Tom Riddle is going to have an Heir, I acted immediately…"

"Wait," Lupin interrupted, "How will we bring her to that house, if we don't even know where?"

"A very good question, Remus," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. "I have been observing this couple somewhere in Richmond. They are very good Muggles. I will cast a memory charm upon them, making them think that the child is their own. And as for the child, Severus and I will feed her a Blood Camouflage potion."

"That is a good idea," Andromeda mused thoughtfully. "The Blacks have strong senses in determining the purity of the blood."

"Speaking of Snivellus," Sirius quipped, earning a glare from his cousin. "What? Anyway, speaking of which, where the devil is he?"

"He is currently finishing the potion which I spoke of," Dumbledore replied. Everyone nodded and discussed the child.

Moments later, Severus Snape came out holding a vial full of Blood Camouflage Potion. "This should last 12 years," said Snape in that monotone voice of his. "If accompanied by the strongest concealing charm."

"Will she go to Hogwarts, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, she will," Dumbledore replied. "I can see great potential in her."

McGonagall handed Dumbledore the baby and he held her carefully in his arms. Snape tipped the vial slowly into the baby's mouth while McGonagall chanted, pointing her wand at little Vixelle: "_Larva Sanguinem Dissimularae Corpus et Faciem"_

The baby's appearance started to change. Her pale skin darkened a few shades and her hair turned into a light shade of brown and showed indications of being bushy. Flecks of gold appeared in her brown eyes. And as for her blood, Andromeda sniffed her and touched her arm, being a Black after all, and confirmed that the aura her blood is giving off now is definitely that of a Muggle.

"But," Andromeda warned. "She should not be involved in a heated argument or confrontation with her mother. It is the Black Offspring Connection. It is the only bond with an immense amount of magic that could sense through the strongest concealing potions and charms in the Wizarding World."

"Once she is at Hogwarts, we need to keep an eye on her all the time," McGonagall mused.

"I better go now," Dumbledore spoke up. "I'm going to alter her new "parents'" memories. Minerva, you and Sirius wait for my patronus. "

And with a crack, he left.

15 minutes later:

"Here she is, Albus," Sirius said, handing the baby to Dumbledore. "Merlin, I'm so excited to be an uncle and spoil the kid! Well, that is if you only had agreed to let Dromeda adopt this little spitfire. Guess I'll have to wait for Lily and James' bundle of joy to be squeezed out to this world, then."

Dumbledore chuckled and apparated inside the bedroom of the couple. He laid Vixelle in a conjured crib near the bed and apparated back outside.

"Are you sure that everything will be alright, Albus?" Minerva asked apprehensively.

"I'm quite certain," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye. He turned his head towards the window of the bedroom and smiled.

"Until we meet again…..Ms. Granger…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is my very first story in Fanfiction, so please REVIEW! Thank you!


	2. Hermione Granger

Hey guys! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews... I'm sorry if I posted late because i was in the hospital for a few days coz i was hit by a car... Anyway, I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but the secret won't be revealed until chapter 3 or 4... anyway, here is the first chapter of the story, so enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

**Hermione granger**

"MUMMY!"

A six-year-old little girl with bushy brown hair and fair complexion bolted from her bed and sprinted out of her room like she is being chased by a cheetah. She ran to the bedroom where her parents are peacefully sleeping. The stillness and the peacefulness of the room were broken with the little girl's screams.

"Mummy! Daddy!" cried the girl; in her hand she held her teddy bear whom she fondly named Mr. E. E. Rutherford; a combination of her favorite scientists, Albert Einstein, Thomas Alva Edison and Ernest Rutherford. Her eyes are shining and her cute cheeks are streaked with tears. Her parents sat up while she slowly approached the bed.

"Hermione, sweetie," said Harriet Granger groggily, rubbing her eyes and at the same time extending her arm to her only daughter. "What's the matter?" Hermione ran and climbed up her parents' bed, letting herself be cuddled by her mother. "I don't wanna sleep in my room!" Hermione cried. "I wanna sleep with you!"

"Why is it so?" asked Harriet. "I had a nightmare! It was scary mummy!" little Hermione sniffled. "What did you dream about, baby?" Jeremy Granger asked, his voice rasp and laced with sleep. He shifted and ruffled his daughter's wild hair. "It was terrible, daddy!" Hermione whimpered and Harriet shifted to put her between herself and Jeremy. "Th-There was this b-bad man with v-very pale skin a-and scary red eyes c-calling out to me. He was whispering and hi-hissing like he was a s-s-snake. Then th-there is this dark p-place with d-dungeons and p-prison c-cells. A w-woman was in th-there and she w-was sh-shouting and c-calling out to m-me. She s-said t-to me th-that sh-she is m-my mum!" the little girl said, stuttering and hiccupping. "I don't like her! She's evil! They want to take me away from you! I don't wanna go! They want to take me!" Hermione bawled.

Harriet and Jeremy exchanged worried looks. The nightmare has been plaguing their daughter for almost 2 months now. Every week, she would run to their room and cry and tell the same story. The dreams occur twice or thrice a week. They assured her that these dreams mean nothing at all. But secretly they were worried too.

"Shh… baby," Jeremy said, kissing his daughter's forehead while his wife stroked Hermione's hair lovingly. "It's just a nightmare. People from your dreams don't come out and take you, do they?" Hermione shook her head no. "Besides, 'Mione," Harriet added, "Mummy and Daddy won't let them take you. We'll protect you, baby."

"Really?" A red-eyed Hermione sniffed. "Really," smiled Jeremy while Harriet kissed the top of Hermione's head. "I love you, Mummy!" beamed Hermione, hugging her mother.  
"I love you too, sweetie," smiled Harriet, kissing Hermione's hair.

"Hey, what about me?" Jeremy pouted jokingly, "Mummy'll be the one to call the cops, but I'm going to hit the bad guys who want to take you with a baseball bat and I will pull all of their teeth off!"

"Jeremy!" his wife scolded. "Daddy!" Hermione giggled. "That's violent. But I love you too, Daddy!" Hermione hugged her father. "Love you more, baby." Jeremy muttered, stroking his daughter's hair. "Now, what does our princess need to go to sleep?"

"I wanna sleep with you tonight," Hermione quipped. "How about a story, Mione?" Harriet asked. "You like that, yeah?" Hermione grinned, one of her front teeth is missing. "A story it is," chuckled Jeremy. "What story do you want, baby?"

"How Mrs. Marie Curie discovered radium!" Hermione said, "Or the Romanov execution and how the Grand Duchess Anastasia survived! Or the French Revolution! And how the British Navy defeated the Spanish Armada! Or how DNA is discovered! Or how Mr. Charles Darwin proved his theory of evolution! Oh, oh, I know! How Merlin defeated Morgana Le Fay!"

"Woah, woah!" laughed Jeremy, "Slow down there, baby. Daddy can't tell all of those stories to you in just one night. You have to pick one." Both parents smiled at their daughter's intelligence. At six years old and currently in her Year 1 in elementary school, Hermione is the brightest student in her class and much more smarter than a Year 6 student.

Hermione rubbed her chin pensively and suddenly smiled. "A story about Arachne and Athena!"

"Arachne and Athena it is," Jeremy smiled. "Once upon a time, in Ancient Greece, there was a girl named Arachne…"

* * *

_**3 years later:**_

Cambridge University…

One of the most prestigious colleges in England and the world. After pestering her parents and with promises to be good and behave, Hermione went with her uncle, David Granger, a college professor in the university, to the aforementioned school.

She is now standing in a classroom with her uncle and his two friends, Professor Douglas Richards who teaches History and Professor Marie Adamson who teaches Advanced Calculus (A-level). She is animatedly chatting and unknowingly impressing the three Professors about her extensive knowledge in History. Then, David turned to Hermione and said, "Hermione, why don't you just entertain yourself for a moment. We have some private matters to discuss." "Okay, Uncle Dave!" beamed Hermione, showing her large font teeth. "Just behave yourself, okay darling?" David called after his niece who is currently prancing towards the whiteboard, her wild, bushy brown hair flowing behind her.

"Brilliance really runs in your family, David," said Professor Adamson, gazing adoringly at Hermione. Professor Richards smiled and nodded in agreement. David grinned proudly. "She is the only pride and joy of my brother. She is on top of her class, straight A+'s actually." "How could she not be?" laughed Professor Richards. "That girl is like a walking encyclopedia. And to think she's only 9!"

The conversation steered to a more serious topic. They were so absorbed with their discussion that they didn't notice Hermione or what she was doing on the whiteboard. 8 minutes later, they heard a gasp and an "Oh, no!"

Everybody turned to where the voice came from and saw little Hermione standing beside the whiteboard, looking guilty and about to cry. Everybody looked at the whiteboard in complete and utter shock and amazement. Below the complicated Calculus equation that Professor Adamson has written, instead of doodles and other things typical 9-year-olds usually write on a whiteboard, there were equations and numerous complicated methods, transpositions, and a circled answer. "Hermione, what-?" David gasped, obviously dumbfounded. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Hermione said in a panicked voice. "I'm so sorry, really. I just got carried away and… I'm going to erase this!" Hermione made a move to erase her work when Professor Adamson, recovering from her shock, stopped her. "Wait, Hermione dear, don't wipe it away yet."

Slowly, the Advanced Calculus Professor approached the whiteboard and looked at Hermione's equations. A good 1 minute later, she gasped and looked at Hermione who was looking on nervously, chewing and biting her lower lip. "This," Adamson said, "This is unbelievable!" She looked at her two colleagues. "She got the equation correct. And… and the method she used… it's the complicated method. I can't see a single mistake in her solving. It's all correct."

The two men looked at Hermione who is now rubbing her eyes. "I'm so sorry for writing on your board, Professor Adamson. I'm sorry I was bad."

Adamson and Richards smiled down at Hermione while David knelt down in front of her. "Don't cry, Mione," He said. "You weren't bad. Actually you were good. _Very _good."

"I was?" Hermione asked, thoroughly puzzled. David nodded. Professor Richards ruffled her hair and said, "It seems like we have a new genius in the making."

* * *

_**2 years later…**_

The doorbell rang in the Granger home. "Hermione, sweetie, can you get the door, please?" Harriet called form the kitchen. Hermione ran to the door and opened it to see a weirdly dressed old man with glasses shaped like crescents and long white hair and beard. Despite the man's appearance, Hermione greeted him politely. "Hello, what can I do for you?"

The old man smiled and said, "Good evening to you too, Ms. Granger. May I speak with your parents?" Hermione was confused. How can this man know her? But then, she shrugged it off, knowing that maybe, her parents know him. "Why yes of course, sir," she replied. "Right this way, if you please." "Thank you," smiled the man, his eyes twinkling, obviously admiring the girl's courteousness.

"Mum! Dad!" called Hermione, "Someone's here to see you!"

Jeremy hurriedly went out of his office and Harriet emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. "Hermione, who is it?" Harriet asked. "Oh," she said catching sight of the old man. "What can we do for you, sir?"

"Can we all sit down for a moment?" the man requested. "Then, I will explain."

They all sat down warily and stared questioningly at the old man. Once they were all seated, the man took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Jeremy and Harriet. Hermione just watched the scene patiently. After reading the letter, the couple looked up at the man, confused. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Jeremy asked. "Are you serious?"

The man merely smiled. "Yes. Let me introduce myself I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. The Headmaster of that school. People just refer to me as Albus Dumbledore."

"Alright," Jeremy said, "April 1 is over now."

"What I speak is quite true," Dumbledore said calmly, "My school teaches magic and your daughter happens to be invited to study there for she is magic. She is a witch."

"A witch?" Hermione asked, "With all due respect sir, but, one, witches don't exist. And two, if what you are saying is true; I don't think I want to be an ugly, evil witch."

"Oh, dear girl, no," Dumbledore chuckled, "You really have to change your perception about witches. Not all witches are bad. There may be some who came to the Dark side, but there are lots of witches who are on the Light. Wizards too."

"Sir, please, enough of this," Harriet said.

"Mrs. Granger, I know I can't convince you, but if you want proof I will gladly show it to you," Dumbledore said. He took out what suspiciously looks like a sturdy stick from his sleeve and set the table on fire without burning it. "Oh my God!" Harriet gasped. Dumbledore flicked his wand and the fire slowly vanished. He then turned to Hermione. "My dear, is there one instance that somehow, when you are feeling an intense emotion, something peculiar happened?"

Hermione looked at her parents who were staring questioningly at her. She looked back to Dumbledore and hesitated before answering, "Yes, lots of times."

"Hermione, sweetie, what do you mean?" Harriet asked.

"I'm sorry, Mum," Hermione said, "But I've noticed that I have done peculiar things. Aside from knowing the solutions to complicated Math equations, I've done things that are out of the ordinary." She then looked at Dumbledore and continued, "Like that time when I was mad for being called a "nerdy ball of hair". I ran to the bathroom and I was so mad I thought I glared at cubicle door enough to bore holes at it. Then, suddenly, the door caught fire, yet, it never burned. Like what happened at the table just now, sir."

"Can you show us, Hermione?" Jeremy asked. Hermione nodded and focused her gaze on the vase. She gathered all her feelings of anger towards her bullies. She gazed at it intensely and she could feel the wind whistling behind her ears, blowing her hair. Then, suddenly, the vase caught fire, yet, it didn't burn.

She averted her gaze, and the fire began consuming itself, never leaving a single smudge on the vase.

"Why didn't you tell us this before, sweetie?" Harriet asked, completely astounded at her daughter's ability. "I'm sorry, Mum, Dad," said Hermione, looking remorseful. "I thought you were going to think of me as a freak. And I thought it had a more logical, scientific explanation for it. Anyway, I discovered that I can restore wilted flowers to what they were before, with just a touch of my palm."

"B-but how?" Jeremy asked Dumbledore. "How did my daughter become a witch?"

Dumbledore thanked Merlin for preparing himself to explain this. "First, in the Wizarding world, there are five classifications of people. Just like how you classify people here according to nationality. First, there are the Purebloods, whose blood is pure wizarding blood. These people are the offspring of two purebloods or the offspring of a pureblood and a half-blood. Second, there are the Half-bloods. These people are like what you call half-breeds. They are the offsprings of either, a pureblood and a Muggle, a pureblood and a Muggle-born, or a half-blood and a Muggle. Third are the Squibs. These people are born to magical parents, yet they don't possess magical abilities. Then of course, there are the Muggles. These people are the non-magical folks, simple as that. Then, there's you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore lied, "The Muggle-born. You have the blood of a Muggle, you are born to Muggle parents, yet you possess magical abilities."

"But how can it be so?" Jeremy asked, "You said so yourself that the Muggles – as you people call us, have no magic. How can our daughter suddenly acquire these abilities?"

Dumbledore cleared his throat to let out the lie he had been composing to say. "The usual case of Muggle-born witches and wizards is that their ancestors may have been magic and later took up Muggle life and married a non-magic person. Then, that half-blood may have married a Muggle and their child married a Muggle, so on and so forth. Or maybe one of your ancestors is a Squib and married a Muggle. Whatever the case, the magical gene was passed on and on. Your later ancestors carried it, you may have carried it in either of you, but it remained dormant. The gene became active in Hermione, no doubt."

The Grangers don't really have magical ancestors. Dumbledore didn't want to fool Hermione and her parents about the young girl's true lineage, which should be the first category. They sure would freak out. Not to mention the fact that she was the heir to the most feared Dark Wizard of that time. A wizard who has narrow and twisted beliefs about the world. A man who is ruthless and doesn't care less who he hurts just to get to his goal. A man who is, for now, temporarily ensnared in the clutches of dormancy. And the girl's true mother… A ruthless woman who is as sadistic and as keen on cleansing the world from Muggles as her master. A woman who is now probably clinging on the last thin strands of her sanity, which, at any moment, are about to snap. It's better this way.

The rest of the conversation veered towards the topic of school, requirements and communication between Hermione and her parents.

After promising to send a wizard to help them shop for Hermione's requirements and guide them to the Wizarding railway station, Dumbledore left.

When the door closed, Hermione turned to her parents. "So…" she grinned, "Does this mean I can use magic to conjure a big library here in the house?"

* * *

_**September 1, 1991**_

_**Platform 9 **__**3/4**_

"Be careful, ok, sweetie," Harriet sniffled while hugging her only daughter and stroking her hair. "I will, Mum," Hermione said, hugging her mother tightly. "I promise."

"I love you, my Mione," Harriet said.

"Love you too, Mum."

Harriet sniffled again before passing Hermione to her husband. Jeremy knelt down and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Do well in school, Hermione," he said, "You are at a disadvantage because you don't have Wizarding blood. Show them that blood is not a hindrance to success. Show them you are not just a mere Muggle-born. Show them the intelligent and beautiful Hermione Granger. Show them the dangers of the Grangers. Make us proud, baby. Make the whole majority of Muggle-borns proud."

"I will, Dad, I promise," Hermione said, hugging her father. "I love you Dad. I'll miss you and Mum."

The Hogwarts express whistled sharply and Hermione looked at her parents with excitement, sadness and nervousness in her eyes.

"I should go now," she said to her parents, "I'll miss you! I love you both."

"Write to us always, ok baby?" Jeremy said. "Whenever you got time or you feel like telling us something, write to us."

"I will, Dad."

"My little angel is all grown up!" Harriet sniffed. "Take good care of yourself, sweetie. Don't really stress yourself out, ok? Eat your meals on time, and drink your medicines when you feel tummy aches or your migraine attacks. I packed ointments and antiseptics too, just in case. And your vitamins! You got them right? And-"

"Mum!" Hermione said, interrupting her mother's rambling. "Mum, relax. I got everything. Just calm down, ok? I'll be home for Christmas. I love you, Mum. I really should go now!"

Harriet sniffled and hugged Hermione, showering her face with tiny, little kisses. "My baby girl is all grown up and studying far from home!"

"MUM!" Hermione whined. "I'm not a baby! I'm turning 12 in 18 days!"

"You'll always be our baby, Hermione," Harriet said. "Now go. You wouldn't want to miss the train."

"Take care okay, my princess," Jeremy said hugging his daughter tightly and kissing her head. "Remember that Mum and I love you so much."

Hermione nodded and hugged her parents one last time. She ran, juggling her belongings and hollering at her parents over her shoulder that she would write to them often.

She boarded the train and looked outside the window to wave at her parents until they were out of sight.

She sighed heavily and wandered along the corridors. She found a compartment with a chubby young boy who had a round face, brown hair and teeth that are bigger than hers. She knocked politely and asked: "Can I share this compartment with you?"

"Yes," the boy answered rather timidly.

She smiled, thanked him and went inside. When she had sat down and settled, she began to make conversation with the boy. "My name is Hermione Granger, how about yours?"

"My name's Neville. Neville Longbottom," the boy answered.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Neville," she said, taking his hand and shaking it gently. Neville seemed confused and blushed with her actions.

"I'm a Muggle-born," she added, releasing his hand. "I'm a pureblood," Neville answered. "But I'm not one of those who look down on Muggles." "It's nice to hear that, Neville," she said, "By the way, do you know any spells?" "Quite a few," he replied, "Gran's been teaching me simple spells. I practice them sometimes on my pet toad, Trevor. How about you?"

"Well, since I recently learned about the Wizarding World, I don't know a lot, but I've been reading and I finished them two days before yesterday," she replied. They discussed some simple and easy spells and tried to cast some with their wands. Hermione herself was amazed by the fact on how fast she mastered the spells and how effective they are to her. She marveled on how it was all too easy for her, considering she was a Muggle-born.

While they were having snacks which she and Neville bought from the trolley, she excused herself to change into school robes, since she thought they are getting near. When she returned, she saw Neville also dressed in school robes. They then resumed their conversation and snacks. While they were practicing the _Wingardium Leviosa_ spell on a sheet of paper, she noticed how Neville began shifting in his seat , as if looking for something.

"Uh, Neville," she asked, "is something wrong?"

"Trevor's missing!" he blurted out. "Your pet toad?" she asked. "Yeah! Oh Merlin, Gran's gonna skin me!" he wailed.

She patted him on the back. "Don't worry, Neville. I'll help you find him." She then walked off in search of her new friend's pet.

During her search, she bumped into someone. "Watch it!" said a snooty voice that has a somewhat, aristocratic drawl. Hermione suddenly felt an odd lurch in her nerves. She chose to ignore it and apologized to the person whom she bumped into. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I was looking for my friend's pet and-"

"Whatever."

She glared at the boy in front of her! He just cut her off like that! How rude!

She looked at the boy again up and down. The boy had pale skin and hair. Seriously, what person has hair as fair as that? Anyway, this boy has a pointed face and grey eyes. He had aristocratic features and there was a faint smirk registered on his face. At his sides were two huge boys who almost looked like gorillas.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she sniffed snootily and her voice was bossy. "Remind me not to cross your path again."

The boy looked at her with amazement and interest. He then spoke. "I believe formalities are necessary," he nodded to the two boys behind him. "This one is Vincent Crabbe," he pointedly looked at the shorter one and then settled his gaze on the taller one. "And this is Gregory Goyle."

The two boys leered at her. Then the boy held out his hand. "And I'm Draco Malfoy. Pureblood." She looked at his hand rather apprehensively and hesitantly shook it. "My name is Hermione Granger. Muggle-born."

The interest in his eyes waned and was replaced with contempt and disgust. As if burnt, the boy –Draco –pulled his hand away and sneered at her. "My mistake," he drawled and walked away, his two companions flanking him.

Hermione stood there gaping at him. Did he just… withdraw his friendship because of her blood-status?

"_But I'm not one of those who look down on Muggles."_

Hermione thought about what Neville said. So there is also racial discrimination in the Wizarding World.

She'll show them.

_Just because I'm Muggle-born doesn't mean me, my skills and my knowledge are to be underestimated, _Hermione thought determinedly. She walked off in search of Trevor and acted like that jolt in her skin or Draco "The Snooty Pureblood" Malfoy's sneering didn't happen.

* * *

_*****Minutes Later: *****_

Hermione opened a compartment where she saw two young boys who are about her age, gorging on lots of sweets from the trolley. She saw the red-haired boy holding his wand and was about to point it over at some rat whose head is stuck inside a box. The boy beside him looked interested. Hermione thought that this boy with raven hair and glasses looked familiar, somehow.

She cautiously stepped inside the compartment when the red haired boy was about to wave his wand.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" she asked. Inwardly, she thought her voice sounded a bit bossy. "A boy named Neville's lost one."

The red-haired boy looked at her with a small scowl on his face, apparently not pleased that he was interrupted. He simply shrugged and said, "No."

At this point, Hermione knew she could just say thank you and leave. But when she saw what the boy was about to do, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to witness another kid do magic. Aside from that, Hermione took pride in the fact that two weeks after she bought her books, supplies and her wand, she already mastered a whole lot of spells (she didn't use her wand, of course. She might get in trouble for that. She just understood the instructions well and fortunately got the chance to practice them with Neville earlier) and memorized almost all the ingredients of the potions, their properties, a whole lot of information about her lessons. She is currently finishing _Hogwarts: A History _which she finds very fascinating, interesting and informative.

"Oh, are you doing magic?" she asked in a rather snooty way. "Let's see them."

The red-haired boy cleared his throat and started to wave his wand at the rat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!"

Hermione looked baffled all the while the boy was reciting the spell. _Or was that even a spell?_ She thought. _What kind of spell was that? I never read something like that._

But, nothing happened. The rat's head was still inside the box and his color is still a dull grey. _Not a very effective one, _she inwardly sniggered. Both of the boys shrugged.

Time to show these boys what she had learned. "Are you sure that's a real spell?" she asked as if questioning their knowledge. "Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course, I've been trying simple ones myself, and they've worked for me."

She then took her wand from her pocket, went over to the boy with glasses and pointed her wand at him. "_Oculus Reparo._" One of the lenses of the boy's glasses was fixed and he took them off, looking amazed. Hermione was amazed too. She now remembered where she saw him. In some Wizarding newspaper she saw at platform 9¾. The article mentioned him as The-Boy-Who-Lived. The boy who escaped death as a baby after he killed the Dark Lord, Voldemort, whilst, his parents died, protecting him. There had been sightings of him in Diagon Alley shopping for supplies for Hogwarts.

Of course, Hermione couldn't contain her enthusiasm about meeting a famous person. "Holy cricket!" she gasped. "You're Harry Potter!" She then introduced herself. "I'm Hermione Granger."

She was about to leave it at that when she suddenly remembered the existence of the ginger-haired boy who was currently gorging on some cake like there is no tomorrow. Hermione thought that this was quite revolting, with the way he eats, but think the most polite thing to do is to acknowledge him and know his name. She turned to him, trying to ignore his eating manners and asked him, "And you are?" she said, unable to hide the slight disgust in her voice. "I'm Ron Weasley," he replied, with his mouth full. "Pleasure," Hermione answered, quite disinterested.

There. She did it. That was the right and polite thing to do, wasn't it? And besides, he was the one who talks with his mouth full! How savage-like! He could have at least swallowed it before replying to her.

But, no matter. She remembered she was helping Neville look for his toad. So she stood up to leave. She noticed that they were still not wearing their school robes and reminded them to do so, since they are now getting closer to Hogwarts. She turned to leave but decided to pause at the door at the last moment. Turning to the red-haired boy, Ron, she said: "You have dirt on your nose by the way," she then pointed at the spot on her own nose where the smudge on Ron's nose was located. "Just there." With that, she turned and walked away. Little did Hermione know that these two boys will be two of the most important males in her life in the years to come.

* * *

_*****Moments Later*****_

_*****Great Hall: Sorting Ceremony*****_

This was it. The Sorting Ceremony. The event that would play an important role in her life for seven years. Hermione looked around the Great Hall with keen fascination. Sure she had read about this before the school year started, but to see it personally… It is all so breathtaking and magical. One minute, she didn't believe in the existence of magic, but on the next, she can't imagine how lucky and privileged she was to be part of this world.

"Hermione Granger!" said a loud and authoritative voice. Right, Professor Minerva McGonagall. Oh, and the Sorting too… Hermione pulled out of her thoughts and headed towards the stool, calming herself with encouraging words. She felt that Ron Weasley kid was staring at her as if she were a lunatic. Well, she doesn't care what he thinks of her. She doesn't have good impressions of him, either, so the feeling's mutual. She could also feel that Draco Malfoy kid staring at her, as if she was something repulsive. No mistake on her first impression on him though. He was a spoiled, prejudiced bigot. She experienced his bigoted attitude on the train. And she had witnessed how he offered friendship to Harry Potter while insulting Ron Weasley about his family's financial status. But Harry refused. Hermione had to admit; that she admired Harry, for standing up to what was right.

She sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. "Hmm…" said the Hat. " Such a brilliant mind… Very brilliant… You would make a good Ravenclaw… But I can also see courage… A very strong dose of it… And a need to prove your worth… That you are not to be underestimated… A pure soul… Innocent… Willing to sacrifice for everything she loves… You could be in Gryffindor…" said the hat. It feels like the voice was inside her brain. She snuck a peek at Professor McGonagall. The older witch's face seemed to tense up, as if anxious and afraid. "But wait…" said the Hat. "You are also determined. You have strong determination… You can be cunning if you want to… And your blood… I can sense something different… Oh yes, you are something different… Powerful… You are ambitious… You have perseverance… And the aura your blood gives… I can sense something different…You could be someone great in Slytherin…But you are more dominated by your mind… and your bravery and loyalty would not be wavered until someone breaks you… You'd best be in…."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The students at the Gryffindor table cheered at the new addition to their House. Hermione grinned, jumped off the stool and headed towards her new table. She turned her head to the platform and saw McGonagall's face relax in relief. The same thing goes for the Headmaster who was sitting in a chair in the middle. Hermione just shrugged it off and skipped to her seat where a red-haired boy who quite resembles Ron patted her on the back and welcomed her.

"Draco Malfoy!"

Draco walked towards the stool, looking kind of nervous. Before McGonagall could even place the Hat on top of his head, it screamed:

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco walked off to the Slytherin table looking mightily pleased. He was smirking as if he was not looking nervous a second ago.

"Ronald Weasley!"

Ron walked nervously towards the platform and sat down. When McGonagall placed the Hat on top of his head, he squirmed slightly. "Another Weasley, eh?" said the hat. "I know just what to do with you…"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron looked relieved and slid off the stool. _That explains it then_, Hermione thought. _That explains why there are so many boys with red hair and freckles on this table. Most of Ron Weasley's family are Gryffindors. __All__ of them may be Gryffindors. Seriously, how many Weasleys are there?_

"Harry Potter!"

Once the name was called, all was silent. Murmurs were exchanged. Harry walked towards the stool and McGonagall placed the Hat on him. The hat seemed to be murmuring a few things. Harry seemed to be screwing his eyes shut and muttering something as if praying a litany.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table cheered as Harry walked towards them "We got Potter!" they chanted over and over again. _This house will be pretty noisy_, Hermione thought. _But I'm sure I'm going to have fun in it._

* * *

_*****November 1, 1991*****_

"It's Levi-osa, not Leviosar," Hermione overheard Ron mimicking her. "No wonder she doesn't have any friends."

Hermione's jaw dropped open. He did not just say that! What's wrong with him anyway? What is his problem with her? She was just correcting him, so basically she was trying to help him! And this is what she got in return? So what if she had a few friends? At least she has some and she knows a lot about their lessons than he does, even if he is a pureblood wizard. She'd show them. She'd show HIM. She really would.

Anger and annoyance rushed through Hermione's veins making her blood boil. She felt like a wild bull. Those Spanish ones who are challenged by matadors. And that certain matador doesn't need a red cloth to trigger her anger. She is already seeing red and Ron Weasley's hair happened to be red. Her were eyes blurry from the tears that were threatening to spill. She walked past Ron, Harry and Seamus, who accidentally set his feather on fire and the soot are smudged all over his face. She purposely bumped Ron with her shoulder as hard as she could and rushed hurriedly to the go to the girl's bathroom.

* * *

_*****30 minutes before the Halloween feast/dinner*****_

"Hermione, it's me, Parvati," said an Indian girl from outside a stall in the girl's bathroom. "Lavender's also here. Please come out. The Halloween feast will be starting anytime now. You can't miss it. Neville's looking for you He's worried."

"Tell him I'm fine," Hermione answered. "Go on without me."

"Hermione," said another girl with wavy brown hair whose name was Lavender. "You've been in there since the last period. Please come out now…"

"Lavender, Parvati, just…just leave me alone, okay," Hermione sighed. "I'll catch up. Tell Neville to avoid eating too much coffee flavored beans and mashed potatoes. He'll understand it."

"You sure you will catch up?" Lavender asked. "Yes." Hermione replied. "Okay, well then, bye, Hermione," Parvati said. "Bye." Lavender echoed.

Hermione said goodbye and waited for the girls' footsteps to sound distant before sobbing softly again. Ever since she was in school in the Muggle world, she was bullied. Not because she was weak or unpopular. Just the opposite. She was bullied because she gets a lot of attention from her teachers, because she was smarter than all the older students, and because people thought she was strange. But now, Ron's insult hurt more, because of the fact that he mentioned she doesn't have friends. Well, what he said was partly true and it struck a sensitive nerve in Hermione. She never had friends… Well, they just befriend her if they wanted help with their assignments and projects. Then after they got what they wanted, they would leave her on the sidewalk and continue to make fun of her. Hermione thought that in Hogwarts, it would be different. But, unfortunately, some things just never change.

Moments later, she decided to stop this pity party she was throwing herself and went out of the stall. She was rubbing her eyes when…

A HUGE TROLL WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF HER!

Hermione wanted to scream but she couldn't. She backed away slowly as the creature sauntered towards her. Her back hit the wall of the bathroom. And there, she thought she was done for. But then:

"OI!"

She looked behind the troll and saw two boys. Harry and Ron. They came to the bathroom to… what? Take the troll down and rescue her, or do the first thing without doing the latter?

Either way, they gave Hermione an opportunity to get away from the troll when they started to fight it. Hermione ducked under a sink for cover. The boys continued fighting until Ron raised his wand and uttered _Wingardium Leviosa. _The troll's club floated in the air and Ron let it fall on the troll's head while Harry stabbed his wand in the troll's nose. The troll fell down to the ground in a heap.

"Ugh!" Ron exclaimed in disgust as Harry pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. "Troll booger!"

Hermione stood up from where she was hiding. At the exact same moment, the teachers were piling up inside the bathroom.

When McGonagall asked what happened and when Hermione thought that both boys are to be blamed, she fabricated a lie to get them out of trouble. She told McGonagall that she thought she could handle the troll and the boys passed by and saved her.

Ron and Harry looked at her in amazement. She was not very keen on lying, but it can be her way of showing her gratitude to them. So, McGonagall docked ten point from her and gave Harry and Ron five points each for 'sheer dumb luck' she said.

After the teachers left, Harry asked Hermione, "Why did you lie?" Hermione smiled and answered, "Well, it can be my 'thank you'. You two saved my life. If you hadn't come sooner, I would have been the troll's Halloween meal. I guess I owe you. Thank you."

"Your welcome, Hermione," Harry grinned. "And I think, someone here wants to say thank you too, for not letting him get into trouble. And an apology too." Harry looked at Ron and quirked his eyebrows at him. "What?" Ron asked. Harry swatted at his shoulder and Ron said, "Alright!" He then turned to face Hermione. "Look, uh… Hermione," he said, not looking directly at her. "I'm very sorry for what I said. I guess uh… I was just annoyed that you showed me off in Charms. And uh… I uh… wanted to thank you for not letting me and Harry get into trouble, even if it means trouble for yourself… Do you uh… think you could uh… you know… forgive me… and maybe… uh… be my friend?"

Hermione was surprised. This was a new side to Ron Weasley's character. And she also found his stammering cute. _Everyone deserves a second chance,_ she thought. She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said, holding out her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."

Ron smiled and gently took her hand in his. "I'm Ronald Weasley." They shook hands and Harry joined in. They walked outside the door and headed towards the Gryffindor dormitories, laughing and talking about the troll incident. Hermione was happy that she found these two boys and found friendship in them.

And from that moment on, these three were attached to the hips and their friendship will be the most famous and legendary friendship in the Wizarding World.

.

* * *

**Author's Note: **You know what to do guys! please review! Tell me what you think, if its good enough or i need to improve it..


	3. The Makings of an Heir

**Chapter 2**

**The Makings of an Heir**

_**October 8, 1992**_

Ron and Hermione were watching Harry and the Gryffindor team get ready to practice for Quidditch. See, Harry was appointed as Gryffindor's Seeker when he was only in his first year. McGonagall was impressed with his flying skills when she saw him try to get Neville's remembrall from Draco.

But, wait. Why is the Slytherin team walking towards the pitch? "This doesn't look good," Ron whispered to Hermione. "I gathered," Hermione replied, "Let's go."

They were walking towards the two teams whose captains are bickering about who will practice on the Quidditch field first.

When Ron and Hermione approached the two teams, Ron gasped in awe at the brooms the Slytherin team has. Hermione didn't care much about Quidditch, so she doesn't really know what those brooms were called, but she was certain that these brooms were the latest model and the most expensive.

They heard the Captain of Slytherin team boast about their new brooms and how the Seeker's father donated it to them. The Seeker was of course, the ever spoiled, ever arrogant prat, Draco Malfoy. He must have seen the amazed look on Ron's face because he then boasted about the brooms and said: "You see, Weasley, unlike _some_, my father could afford the best."

_Oh and this was to make him look impressive? _Hermione thought. She most certainly didn't like the way he said the word 'some' as if he were insulting Ron, her and the entire Gryffindor team for their lack of wealth. Feeling the need to relieve the awkward tension and to defend her house, and especially Ron, she said, "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," she said and added a little jab at the opposing team, "They got in on pure talent." Draco's eyes darkened. How dare this girl question his talent? Did she mean that it was only his money that got him this position? Oh, he'll have her know that he is a Quidditch player even before he came to Hogwarts! And a very good one at that! And how dare she say that to him, a Pureblood when she is a Muggle-born? Someone whose status is lower than him. He will teach her to show respect to someone whose blood status is higher than her. She needs to be put in her right place.

Draco stepped out from the circle of his team and stood in front of Granger. He looked her straight in the eye and said, "No-one asked your opinion, you filthy Mudblood."

_**Mudblood… **_

That word…

That was the derogatory word Neville told her that some prejudiced and bigoted Pureblood wizards and witches called her kind.

This word is degrading, demeaning and just plain awful.

Tears were pricking at the back of her eyes and were threatening to spill.

She could understand the pain that she felt emotionally. But what she can't understand was the searing pain on her left wrist. And also, it felt like her blood was boiling, rushing and pounding in her veins. As if protesting against the vulgar word.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron said, brandishing his wand and pointing it at Draco. "Eat slugs!"

Before Hermione knew what was happening, Ron was thrown back into the grass. He doubled over until he was kneeling to the ground. He made a retching sound, and from his mouth came a slippery, slimy slug.

_Oh, Ron, _she thought. He only wanted to defend her and it backfired on him instead. The Slytherin team were snickering and Harry was helping Ron and at the same time, keeping Colin Creevey from taking a picture of their best friend. Hermione was too stunned to do anything. Stunned from the emotional and physical pain that the "M" word gave her. Why did her body react the way it did with that word?

Meanwhile, in one of the towers, someone noticed the exchange.

"Minerva, Severus," said Dumbledore. "The effect of the potion is waning. I can sense that her body reacted strongly when she was in a confrontation with young Mr. Malfoy. It's time to replenish the potion in her system." "Albus, I doubt I can perform the concealing charm on her," McGonagall said. "I think so too, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "I guess we have to rely on the potion then. We'll put some drops on her food, perhaps. Or give her some concoction where we can mix the potion." "But what?" asked Snape. "Miss Granger has frequent bouts of what Muggles call 'migraine'," McGonagall said. "She takes medication for them. And she also has stress related stomach pains. Maybe we can sneak some in her medicines."

"That would be a very good idea, Minerva," Dumbledore said, "Severus," he said turning to the Potions master, "Do you still have those Blood Camouflage Potions?"

"Yes," was Snape's curt reply.

"Excellent. It doesn't matter if her appearance slowly changes. We can blame it on puberty. More or less, the complete transformation of her appearance will take place after 8 years. All we have to do is to keep her away from her mother. She may be in prison, but it doesn't hurt to take precautions," said Dumbledore before turning to face the window; watching Hermione and Harry help Ron walk towards Hagrid's hut. "Tom is after one of our students now, and we can't risk having him go after another. Once he recognizes his daughter, he will stop at nothing to retrieve his Heir. The moment he knows, he will be killing two birds with one stone. He can finish Harry off and terrorize the world and retrieve his daughter and manipulate her into his evil ways. We need keep the Heir away from her father's notice and focus solely on Harry. That would also lead Tom to think the same."

"It's a bit ironic though," he continued, his eyes twinkling. "What is, Albus?" McGonagall asked. "Tom's Heir is best friends with her father's mortal enemy."

_*****WEEKS LATER*****_

After discovering Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging against the wall, petrified, Hogwarts was sent into a frenzy of terror. Especially at the words on the wall written in blood that posed a threat on the majority of Muggle-borns in the school: "_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE."_

The students, especially the Muggle-borns were worried and scared to death. It was a known fact that the last time the Chamber was opened, a Muggle-born died. As usual, Harry, Ron and Hermione are doing things to uncover the true identity of the Heir. Every student in Hogwarts were torn suspecting either Harry Potter or Draco Malfoy as Slytherin's Heir. But, their suspicions were far from the suspicion of three particular teachers who knew all about the truth of the Heir's identity. And right now, these three teachers are having a heated meeting in the Headmaster's Office.

" 'The Heir', Albus," McGonagall said, "It said 'The Heir'. The last time the Chamber was opened was 50 years ago. It was _his_time. He was a direct descendant of Slytherin. He was the Heir of Slytherin. And now, his Heir is right here, among us. His Heir is one of our students! How can you say that it wasn't Hermione Granger who caused the Chamber to open?" "There are a lot of reasons why I said that, Minerva," Dumbledore said, his eyes uncharacteristically narrowed behind is half-moon spectacles. "First and foremost, we have been sneaking the potion in her medicines. Though, it was not as strong and effective as before, due to the absence of the spell, it can still mask her blood, nonetheless. Secondly, Ms. Granger is not even aware of her true origins. She cannot open the Chamber just by her presence. Even if she did know about her real lineage, she was still raised and cared for by Muggles. So, she doesn't have a reason to open the Chamber and let the monster petrify and kill the people she believed was her kind."

"So, what are you saying, the Chamber opened of its own accord?" Snape interjected.

"I wasn't saying that, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "Everyone has been suspecting Harry and Draco Malfoy of being the Heir. Our students have correct reasons and evidences to suspect them. Draco has the motive to do so. He was brought up to hate Muggles and Muggle-borns. Harry on the other hand has Tom's skills. He was marked by the Dark Lord himself. It was nearly logical to suspect him, especially now, that it is discovered that he can speak in Parseltongue. Slytherin and Tom Riddle are two of the few wizards and witches who can do that. But, I don't think it was those two boys. Nor do I suspect Miss Granger."

"If Miss Granger is You-Know-Who's Heir," McGonagall mused aloud. "Why is it that she doesn't possess any of 'his' talents and skills?"

"A very good question," Dumbledore said, "We can safely presume that the potion helps a little in suppressing the skills she inherited from her father. But I know, that in one way or the other, her skills as the Heir will slowly seep through her, just like how her appearance will slowly transform. But all we can do is hope that she doesn't learn the truth, and Tom will be defeated and long gone from this world before she is fully changed."

"Back to our topic," Snape said, "Who do you think is the culprit that opened the Chamber?"

At this point in time, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled knowingly. "I suspect something or _someone _is _back_ to open the Chamber."

* * *

_** ***Days Later*****_

_*****10:45 pm*****_

"Severus!" cried a frazzled McGonagall as she opened the door to the Potions dungeon.

The Potions master looked up from the papers he was grading and looked at McGonagall with a slight questioning look in his eyes.

"She's been petrified," McGonagall said, extremely worried. Instantly, Snape knew who 'she' meant.

"We'll administer a potion to her," Snape said, a little apathetically, "The beast didn't sense the true essence of her blood. It's a good thing she was just petrified. At least she was not killed. Also, it was good, that she was petrified. Or else, the school will suspect that she is not really a Muggle-born."

"I suppose you have a point, Severus," McGonagall sighed. "If Albus was right, and _someone _really is back, I think it's a good thing Miss Granger's identity and blood was kept hidden."

_**February 5, 1993**_

* * *

"You!" 14 year-old Hermione Granger shouted. She was furious. Very furious. Draco Malfoy did it again! He got Hagrid into trouble and his father had Buckbeak, the hippogriff executed because it attacked him! Well, the nice hippogriff shouldn't have attacked him if he hadn't provoked it. And for the record, he was not seriously injured. Yes, he may have had a broken arm, but, it was gone in a few days. He just pretended that it was broken when it really wasn't just out of spite. The troublemaker. And seriously, he has the audacity to ask them if they were there to enjoy the show, a.k.a Bucbeak's execution. Enjoy? Enjoy?! Hermione Granger is not one for violence, but really, she would rather enjoy seeing him squealing like a girl at receiving a hex from the tip of her wand.

Right now, Hermione wanted to do nothing more than to give that git a piece of her mind. And no-one, not even her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley who were walking furiously behind her, can stop her.

"You foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" Hermione yelled, while pulling her wand from her pocket. And at the last syllable, pointed her wand at him and dug its tip into his neck. "Hermione, no!" she heard Ron say from behind her.

Ugh! If it weren't for Ron's interruption, she would've placed a painful hex on him. "He's not worth it," Ron continued. _Yes, he's not worth it, Ron, _she thought. _But he deserves it._

She looked at Malfoy. His chin was lifted by her wand, he was closing his eyes, and he was literally whimpering and trembling. At that moment, she felt sorry for him. And for the fact that she lost her cool and brandished her wand on him. The mere fact that she _almost _hexed him. That gave her the feeling of shame. She didn't know why she felt like that, but she did. She wasn't raised to be the kind of person who harms someone when she lost control of her temper. _Damn, conscience! _

She slowly lowered her wand and started to turn away. That's when she heard Malfoy chuckle, as if making fun of her, insulting her, laughing at the fact that she didn't dare hex him. Hermione saw red. Oh, that arrogant prick! Before she could help it…

**WHAM!**

Her fist connected with Malfoy's nose. Malfoy let out a pained sound and covered his injured nose.

"Malfoy, are you okay?" Theodore Nott asked in a panicky voice. Malfoy didn't reply but started to run. "Let's go!" Theodore said again. "Hey wait for me!" Crabbe yelled. She heard Malfoy mutter something incoherent before he completely disappeared inside the castle.

There! She did it! She stood up to most prejudiced, spoiled prat in Hogwarts! She humiliated him even! The throbbing pain in her fist was surpassed by the feeling of great joy and triumph that she felt. "That felt good," she exclaimed, looking at her best friends who were looking at her incredulously. "Not 'good'," Ron said, "Brilliant!" Hermione just smiled at that comment. They then started their walk towards Hagrid's hut.

Meanwhile, Draco and his friends were running towards the Hospital Wing to mend his nose. Great. First a hippogriff broke his arm. Now a Mudblood broke his nose. What next? Flitwick breaking his leg? Third Year seems to be intent in breaking all his body parts one by one.

But then, something entered Draco's mind. Something is off about Granger or maybe, his eyes were much to glued to his binoculars and it hadn't adjusted when he pulled away to taunt the three Gryffindors, or maybe it was Granger's punch that sent pain to his nose and colors to his eyes. Either way, he was confused and a little scared.

Was it just him, or did Granger's eyes really turn red during their confrontation?

_*****November 1, 1996*****_

* * *

"And the man learned that the woman was actually dead years ago. And since then, she was trying to get home by hailing a passing car. But she would disappear every time the driver would arrive at the address. She had been trying to get home, but she never got there," Hermione said, her voice in a soft whisper.

That night, she and her fellow Gryffindors, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Seamus and Dean Thomas were gathered together in the Gryffindor Common Room. The floor was littered with Muggle snacks supplied by Hermione and Seamus and lots of sweets from Honeydukes.

"That was spooky," Neville said shuddering a little bit. "Why are Muggles afraid of ghosts anyway?" Ron asked.

"It's because ghosts are uncommon to the Muggle world," Hermione explained. "I've told you this before, Ron. Muggles think that dead people are dead. And if their ghosts are roaming around, then that means that the ghosts will haunt them."

"Doesn't matter why Muggles are afraid of ghosts," Ginny said, munching on a Muggle potato chip. "What matters is that we got Hermione to stop studying for one night and actually join us!"

"Right you are, Gin," Dean grinned. Hermione glared at them. "It's just because you lot threatened to show that embarrassing picture of me in a bathing suit in the middle of the golf course!"

"It wasn't that embarrassing, Mione," Harry grinned. "What do you meant it's not?" Hermione snapped. "I was 6! I was running in the golf course, imagining that the water from sprinklers is rain!"

"Come on, Mione," Ginny coaxed. "Lighten up!" "She'll get over it," Seamus said, then turned to Ginny. "Your turn, Gin."

Ginny took a Cauldron Cake from Ron's pile and shoved it into her mouth. She cleared her throat and said, "I don't want to tell this story because yesterday was…uh," she rubbed the fabric covering her arm. "Was uh, Harry's…um…"

"It's fine, Gin," Harry smiled. "Really."

"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said. "You see, Mum told me this story last year. Tonks told her." She then continued.

"_In the year 1979, the day that the Dark had long awaited came. A woman gave birth to the Heir of You-Know-Who. No one knew the identity of the woman. Only that she was a loyal follower of his. The child was a girl. No –one knew her name. But the only thing that Mum knew was that You-Know-Who planned to train her in his evil ways and continue to spread his terror all over the Wizarding and eventually, the Muggle world. But, the Order of the Phoenix, led by Dumbledore came in the nick of time and took her away. No-one knew what they did to her. No-one knew where they took her. Probably somewhere far away where the Dark can't track her. They spared a child from the cruelty of her father. No-one ever saw her again and I doubt the Order ever did see her. But it was said that she was now roaming around the countries, seeking for answers. When she was a baby, the Order put a spell on her to protect her. They changed her appearance. But even as a baby, you can see that that she will be a beauty one day. It was said that she has very fair skin…It was milky white… Kind of like Malfoy's coloring… Her hair showed signs of being wavy and it was dark brown. And the most interesting feature in her are her eyes. It was said that her eyes were black. But they surprisingly turned a very strong shade of red. The colors clashed and it settled for brown._"

While Ginny was telling her story, Hermione's mind was flashing back to the earlier time of her life. It seemed like everything struck a memory. That time in fourth year when Ron was being a prat about her going out with Krum. She was so angry she stormed out of the room and went to the bathroom near the Girls' Dormitories. She wasn't sure for a moment. Maybe it was just her anger that's making her see things, but it looked like her eyes flashed and turned red for a second or two, and then returned to brown. She blinked and decided that she was just seeing things.

In Fifth Year, it seems like every day her healthy complexion of pinkish-white is slowly turning into a pale complexion. She blamed it on stress and tried to sleep more. But the change didn't stop. If possible, it even increased speed until her complexion was fair and milky-white. And her hair…

Her hair has always been bushy. But after Fourth Year, it seemed like her hair started to look tame on its own. Her bushy hair became curls. And up until now, it seemed like her hair is becoming tamer and tamer everyday… And the color… Her hair color had always been a shade of honey-brown. And since that year, her hair had been slowly turning darker and darker each passing day.

But she didn't mind all these changes. She was growing up. She was turning into a teenager, a woman. Of course, these changes would occur on puberty. And the time where her eyes turned red, well, she blamed it on stress… But now, with Ginny's story, it seemed like it referred to her…

"I know," Ginny's voice pulled Hermione out of her thoughts. "It's so farfetched. I mean, You-Know-Who? Do 'it' with someone? There's a better chance that Malfoy will fall hard for a Muggle. But, Mum told me to let the story teach me not to easily put my trust on someone."

Hermione fell into a daze. She was thinking so hard.

"Hey, Mione!" Ron said into her ear which made her jerk her head and hit Ron in the jaw. "Ow!" they both exclaimed. Everyone laughed at them. "I knew your head was big from the information that it contains," Ron said, rubbing his jaw. "But I never thought it to be that hard."

"Shut up, Ronald," Hermione retorted, rubbing her head. "You were the one who yelled into my ear!" "I was trying to get your attention," Ron protested, "You've been staring into space and shaking you're head like you're disagreeing with Trelwaney's ridiculous lessons.

"I—" Hermione tried to say but was cut off by Ginny, "You sure you're okay, Mione?"

"Yes," Hermione lied. In reality, her head was spinning, confused. "I… I just need to go to the bathroom. Excuse me."

She then stood up and headed to the Girls' Bathroom. When she got inside she turned on the faucet and washed her hands. Still not satisfied, she cupped some water and splashed it on her face. The cold water seemed to splash reality into her over-active imagination. She looked at the mirror and scrutinized herself. Ginny's story… the slow change of her appearance…. Her eyes… She may be…

No.

No, she isn't the Heir. Merlin, she was a Muggle-born!

Stress and puberty are the causes of these changes.

And it's a very farfetched thought that she is the one Ginny was talking about. She even thought herself stupid for thinking such a thing.

It's just a story. There were no evidences that Voldemort had an Heir.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, the thought was still there, nagging at her…

.

.

.

* * *

**A/N: Ok.. i know the end was kinda dragging but i got this out as fast as i could... i promise that the next chapter will be much more better than this one... anyway, please watch out for my one-shots (which i wrote when i was in first year highschool) and my first ever Finnick 0. and Annie C. fanfiction... anyway guys, please review, tell me what you think or give me bases and tips on how to improve my story! thank you for your support everyone! :)**


	4. The Dark Is Calling

**Chapter 3**

**THE DARK IS CALLING**

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I do not, I repeat, do not own Harry Potter...and most unfortunately, not even Draco Malfoy...(sigh) can't have everything... All rights reserved to the one and only queen, JK Rowling!_  
_

A/N: Sorry.. so so sorry this was late! What w/ all the exams and mountainload of schoolwork this grading... Thank Merlin it's Christmas break! I'll try to update quicker, I promise!

* * *

_*****Late November, 1997*****_

_"Hermione, honey!" Harriet Granger called her daughter from downstairs. Hermione, who was composing herself to carry out the task to save her parents, pushed down the sadness she felt and called back, "Coming, Mum!"_

_ She took her wand and took one last look around her room with a heavy heart. She sighed heavily and went downstairs. She saw her parents in the living room sitting on the couch while having tea. With shaking hands, she raised her wand with tears in her eyes. _I'm sorry Mum, Dad, _she thought wistfully, _I'm doing this to keep you two safe. We'll be together again. I'll make sure of it. I love you guys so much…

_With much hesitation, she lightly flicked her wrist and in a shaky voice, whispered the words that would make her world collapse: "Obliviate."_

_ Slowly, she began disappearing from the pictures of her family on the mantel. And there, she knew that she was slowly disappearing from her parent's memories._

_ After that painful task, Hermione grabbed her coat and walked outside the door. The door of the home where she was raised and loved. The moment she stepped outside, her surroundings turned black. And suddenly, as if she was apparated without her noticing, she was standing in a hallway. Not like the hallways in Hogwarts, but rather, a cold and dark hallway. Curious and nervous at the same time, Hermione whispered "Lumos" and walked through the hallway, her footstep echoing loudly and rather eerily. She was cautiously walking when she saw something flash on her left. She turned to look with her ignited wand drawn in front of her and sighed with relief when she saw a mirror. But what she saw __**in **__the mirror shook her to the core and left her cold and shaking in disbelief. Her appearance had changed! Her hair was wavy and dark brown in color, her skin was pale white. Her facial structures looked defined and aristocratic. And her eyes… They were glowing and the color was constantly changing from brown to red, like embers. _

_ Ginny's story started to resound in her head._

"… Her hair showed signs of being wavy…"

"…It was dark brown…"

"…she has very fair skin…"

"…the most interesting feature in her is her eyes…"

"…her eyes were black…"

"…turned a very strong shade of red…"

"…colors clashed and it settled for brown…"

_ Frightened out of her wits, Hermione hastily looked away from the mirror and ran down the hallway. She had to get out of here! Damn Ginny for telling that story! _

_ Hermione ran and ran. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest and her breath came out in short, hard pants. She can't exactly define the where the thudding sound came from, because she didn't know which was louder, her footsteps thumping on the floor, or her heart which is thumping in her chest which seemed to explode in any moment. Plus the sound of Ginny's voice describing the Dark Lord's Heir resounding and bouncing off the narrow walls of the hallway. It's driving her crazy._

That's it, _she thought, _I'm positively turning mad.

_ When she thought that she was going to run forever, she saw it._

_ A door._

_ Finally! It was just at the end of the hallway! And she was nearing it!_

_ This is it! She can finally get out of this place!_

_ Hermione ran and reached for the doorknob. When the palm of her hand touched the cool, solid knob, she felt nervous and hesitated. What if something worse and more mind-troubling lay behind that door?_

Anything to get out of this place, _she mused._

_After a moment's hesitation, she twisted the knob and opened the door. She went in to discover that…_

_She walked in on a Death Eater meeting!_

_ Everybody turned to look at her. Hermione wanted to go back to that hallway. She wanted to bolt out of that room. But it seemed like her feet were rooted to the ground. She was just plain stunned. Even though she was in a stupor, her mind was wildly reeling. What is she going to do? For one second, she thought that facing torture and death was much better than have those traitorous thoughts and voices telling her she was Voldemort's Heir claim her sanity._

_ Just then, all of the Death Eaters stood up, as did Voldemort. Fear began to rush through her veins. This is it. The world will be one short of Muggle-born witches. She looked at Draco Malfoy who was standing stoically beside his father. She was pleading with her eyes to help her, even just distract the Death Eaters. But a thought suddenly hit Hermione. _What was I thinking? _she thought, _There's no way in hell Malfoy will help me. There is a better chance that I will get an Exceeds Expectations in History of Magic. He will probably be celebrating that the insufferable Mudblood know-it-all is gone from this world and no longer tainting it.

_Bellatrix Lestrange stepped away from her table and walked rather quickly to where she was standing. There was some sort of excited smile in etched on her face. _Oh, Merlin no, _she silently mused. This was it. The kind of smile that the witch wore, she's probably up to something evil. Hermione shuddered inwardly as the witch neared her. Her breath was caught in her throat as Bellatrix stopped in front of her. She then turned her head towards her master who nodded. _Oh, Merlin, this is it, _Hermione thought, panicking. _This is it. I'm done for.

_Hermione braced herself to whatever hex or torture Bellatrix might throw her way. This was it. But, what happened next caught her by surprise. She expected something painful to hit her, not a pair of arms wrapping around her._

_ What is the world coming to? Bellatrix Lestrange, pureblooded witch, intent on eradicating all who is not pure and tainting the Wizarding World, embraced Hermione Granger, Muggle-born and Harry Potter's bestfriend. She started to wonder if hell must be freezing like Antarctica at the moment._

_ "You're finally back!" Bellatrix muttered against her ear. Her voice was an eerie whisper and sounded like she was about to cry but giggled instead. "You are finally home!"_

_ What?_

_What is she talking about? Then again, she is crazy. _Probably she is tricking me into some sort of trap, _Hermione thought._

_ She pulled away from Hermione and looked at her, but still not letting go. "You are so grown up," Bellatrix said, "And so beautiful." _

_ Hermione's mind was reeling from what is currently happening. What is Bellatrix talking about? Why is she looking at her as if she is something precious? And why are her eyes misty and why is she smiling eerily at her?_

_ Bellatrix stepped away from her and Hermione noticed Voldemort beaming, looking like he had just won a war. He approached her and said, "Welcome back, my daughter! We had waited so long for your arrival!"_

_"No!" Hermione cried, finding her voice once more. "No! I'm not your daughter! Never will I be!"_

_Bellatrix looked taken aback and Voldemort's eyes turned deadly cold. "Come now, Vixelle," the Dark Lord said. "Don't be a baby. Act your age."_

_ "Chalk it up all you want! I don't care! Stop with the mind tricks and just get on with it already, why don't you?" Hermione snapped. "Just kill me already! I don't care! I don't know what will happen in the war if I die, but I know three things; Harry will win in the end, the Light will be restored and I am not your daughter!"_

_ Her protests were ignored. "You've always known haven't you, my daughter?" Voldemort asked, though it sounded like a statement more than a question. "You've always felt it. You knew that your strange transitions of appearance coincide with that blood-traitor girl's story. You knew. There's no use denying it."_

_ Hermione froze. Whatever she was going to say died at her mouth. Voldemort's words struck home. Ever since she heard Ginny's story, she had been thinking about it. When she thought it was just plain crazy, she tried to push it away. She tried to forget about it. But the idea kept on nagging at her, forming a seed of doubt in her brain. _

_No._

"_No," she said aloud. "No!"_

"_Accept your fate, my princess," Bellatrix spoke up in a sickly sweet voice that sounded strangled. _

"_No!" Hermione screamed, tears starting to spill down her cheeks. But the thought was still there. No matter how Hermione screamed 'no', the events in her life started to make her think otherwise. "I won't accept it! I won't! I won't! No!"_

"_No."_

"Hermione!" a male voice shouted above Hermione's screams. "Hermione, wake up!"

"_No!"_

"Hermione!" said a raven-haired boy with glasses and a worried expression on his face. His best friend had been screaming bloody murder for a few seconds now and it seems like she was not able to get out of whatever nightmare was haunting her.

Harry Potter started shaking Hermione when he saw the tears spilling down her cheeks. Ever since Ron left them, Hermione hadn't been the same. She was always silent and kind of distant. She may have tried to hide her loneliness and that Ron's departure didn't affect her that much. But Harry could see right through his best friend who he sees as a sister.

_Poor Mione, _Harry thought. "Hermione!" he yelled again. "Hermione, wake up!"

He started to shake her so hard out of pure panic. He tried to be gentle, but Hermione's incessant screaming seemed to agitate him more. At last, Hermione's eyes opened wide and it showed her fear and worry.

"H-Harry?" she asked, confused but kind of relieved. "That's right, Hermione," Harry replied in a whisper, not wanting to scare the frightened girl anymore. "It's me. It's Harry. I've got you."

Hermione blinked at him before burying her face in his chest, her small frame wracking with her sobs. Harry, being Harry, soothed her while stroking her hair. "It's just a nightmare, Herms. It's a nightmare."

"It's all too real, Harry," Hermione sobbed, clenching Harry's shirt in her fists. "Too real. He's trying to get you through me… Harry he…"

"Hermione, stop," Harry said, completely understanding what his best friend was talking about. "If ever that happens, Harry, do what you have to do," Hermione mumbled. She was shaking like crazy and it was obvious that she wasn't in the right state of mind. "I don't care what happens to me…"

"Hermione, please…"

"Just keep yourself alive, Harry. The world needs you."

"Hermione stop it!" Harry cried, shaking the girl to her senses. "Hermione, you've got to listen to me, okay. I can't believe I'm being the reasonable and level-headed one this time, but, whatever. Try to block him from your head as hard as you can Hermione. But if he does get into your head to get me, I promise you, I won't let anything bad happen to you, Mione. I love you far too much to let anything happen. Ron will murder me. Ginny will probably torture me to insanity."

Hermione looked up at him curiously. Harry nodded and decided to lighten up the mood.

"And who's going to help me with my essays and homework if we ever get back in school?"

* * *

_*****Early January, 1998*****_

Hermione's mood seemed to improve during Ron's return and the trio was back with their old ways. Hermione's nightmares seemed to have reduced their frequency, although some nights, her screams were loud enough to wake the dead. She was always screaming about someone's daughter. She would scream 'no' over and over again. When she wakes up, she would cry on Ron's chest, with Harry soothing her. When asked, all she said was, Voldemort was trying to get to him through her. She seemed to be having the same nightmare all over again.

Was the dream an experience she had as a kid? Was it a side-effect of something that a Death Eater hit her in their battle at the Department of Mysteries? Was it because of the stress of the Horcrux hunt? The weight of the fact that the whole world is depending on them? Was it the result of the slight depression she felt when Ron left?

What could be happening to their Hermione Granger?

Oh…If they only knew that the moment the Dark side has been waiting for, for years would finally come soon.

* * *

A/N: So, there you go... I'm sorry this was short... I'll post a longer one next time... Anyways, REVIEW!

And have a very blessed and Merry Christmas everyone!


	5. The Black Offspring Connection (Part 1)

**Chapter 4**

**The Black Offspring Connection**

_*****Easter*****_

_*****April 1998*****_

Breathless…

Tired…

Afraid…

The wind on their faces…

The trees…

The brown leaves crunching under their feet…

They were running…

Running to escape the Snatchers…

Running to protect the only hope the world has…

Running for their lives…

Hermione was running, running, running, until she can't anymore. She was worried about her two best friends. She wanted to look over her shoulder to see if they are alright. But she can't. She had to get out of here. And not for some selfish reason.

Her dreams were always plaguing her. For her, this is what might happen if ever the Dark Side caught her. They would poison her mind and turn her against the people she loved.

Her train of thought was broken when she saw a Snatcher block her escape a few distances away. She formulated a quick plan in her mind to evade them but she saw Harry stop a few feet from her. _Oh no! _Hermione thought, _they're going to catch up with us and they would recognize Harry! _

Panicked and scared, Hermione did the first thing that came into her mind.

She non-verbally cast a Stinging Jinx straight to his face. The effect was instantaneous. Harry's face swelled up. At least that made him less recognizable. A yell was heard from behind them and Ron came into view, with Snatchers holding him by the collar of his sweater.

_This is it, _Hermione thought, _We're done for. _

Her horror grew when she noticed Fenrir Greyback grab Harry from behind and held him firmly to prevent him from escaping. Two Snatchers grabbed her own arms and being the Gryffindor that she was, she struggled against their hold, although she knows that is quite futile to do so.

"Don't touch her!" Ron rasped as he himself struggled against the Snatchers that grabbed him.

"Your boyfriend is going to get hurt," said the head Snatcher. "If he doesn't behave himself."

He noticed Harry and said, "What happened to you, ugly?"

Both Harry and Fenrir Greyback looked at him. "No, I already know you," the head Snatcher named Scabior said, referring to Greyback. If the situation wasn't dire, Hermione would have chuckled at that exchange. Her slight amusement turned to ever growing horror when Scabior approached Harry and said, "What's your name?"

"Vernon," Harry replied, "Vernon Dudley."

He then approached a mad looking Ron and asked, "How about you?"

"Stan Shunpike."

_**Thwack!**_

Ron's face snapped to the side when Scabior backhanded him.

"Your real name," growled Scabior.

"Barney Weasley," Ron lied through his clenched teeth.

Hermione's heart thumped wildly in her chest when Scabior stalked towards her, a menacing look on his face. "And what about you, my lovely?" he drawled, his face getting closer to hers. Hermione did her best to pull and turn her face away from him as possible. "Penelope Clearwater," Hermione panted, very much determined to get away from him. She didn't like the way he looked at her. She noticed the questioning look in his eyes. "Half-blood," she said as an afterthought.

Scabior's face keeps getting closer and she was trying to keep her face away from him. "No Vernon Dudley found in here," said one Snatcher, which caused Scabior to back away from her and stalk towards Harry. While she was thankful that Scabior got away from her, another surge of insane panic crept into Hermione's being that she couldn't even hear everything around her clearly. Everything around her was just blurring and buzzing. She was snapped out of her daze when she heard Scabior say: "We're not taking this one to the ministry."

The feeling of immense fear surpassed the feeling of panic in Hermione's heart. And fear is a much graver feeling than panic. And right now, in Hermione's mind, only one word rings through:

_**Where?**_

* * *

If it is even possible, even more dread filled Hermione's heart as the Snatchers and Fenrir Greyback apparated outside a huge and imposing mansion. The legendary structure that stood for centuries, home to one of the most prestigious lineage of Pureblood families. The mansion where Voldemort and his Death Eaters currently use as their base:

Malfoy Manor.

The moment they neared the gates, she clearly saw a woman with bedraggled hair who was dressed carelessly approach the gates. Whatever fear her two best friends might be feeling right now is different from what she felt. What if her nightmares would come true? What if they would turn her against the Light? She would fight to death before she would do that.

What she can't understand was that the odd lurch of her nerves and blood was back when Bellatrix Lestrange approached the group. What is this? Why is she feeling light of a sudden? She watched Bellatrix warily. One look at Harry's forehead had Bellatrix whispering eerily: "Get Draco."

* * *

As the trio was roughly brought to the drawing room of the manor, Hermione couldn't help but stare around in amazement and awe. The house, though dark, imposing and evil can be felt seeping from every corner, it was still elegant. It reminded Hermione of those English chateaus she used to read in stories. But, an odd thought struck her as she looked around the house subtly. _No wonder Malfoy acts the way he does, _she thought_, it must have been lonely to be in this house. Plus the vibe and the aura itself can be seen in Malfoy. Add in who his parents are and how they brought him up. _At that moment, Hermione felt oddly sorry for Malfoy and (dare she think about it?) she forgot how she hated him.

Hermione was brought out of her private musings when the elder Malfoys, Lucius and Narcissa came into view. Lucius was about to open his mouth, probably to ask what this disturbance is about. He scrutinized the newcomer and his eyes lit up when he saw Hermione and Ron. "Ahh..So you've brought the Wizarding World's most wanted blood-traitor and Mudblood."

Although stiff with fear, Hermione saw Draco Malfoy lagging behind his mother, shuffling his feet like a petulant child who was scolded. "We've got something for you that we think is worth double than the prices of the ginger and the wench's heads combined," Scabior said as he held Harry by the collar of his shirt and gave him a shove towards Lucius. Harry stumbled forward and fell face first to the floor.

Hermione looked at her best friend helplessly. _What now? What would happen now that they were caught? Is there any chance or hope that they can escape? _

Hermione looked at Ron who was also looking at Harry, fear evident on his face. He must have noticed her looking at him, because he looked at her too, his expression mirroring her own. It was quite evident in his eyes that he was inwardly asking himself the selfsame questions she was asking herself.

They both watched as Draco was pushed by his father towards Harry's direction. Draco looked at his father with hesitance in his eyes. And there, Hermione realized that maybe, Malfoy really didn't want this. She could see that he was just as scared as she was. She could see that he was dragged into this just like she was. Just like all of them were. They were dragged into this war by Voldemort and other fanatics' pureblood ideals. And though she was willing to fight beside her best friend, to defend the her kind and the people she loves, to stand for what is right, and to die fighting for the light, she really didn't understand the necessity of this war.

Hermione is smart and she fully understood that the Dark Side wanted the pure Wizarding folk to dominate the world, but couldn't they just bring their bigoted business elsewhere? Because Muggles and the magical folk can live peacefully without one dominating the other kind. Is it so hard for these racists to absorb that?

Hermione watched with pitiful eyes as Lucius gave Draco a glare that could rival the Imperius Curse into making you do what the caster wants. Draco bowed his head and took small hesitant steps towards Harry and his aunt. When he was about 10 inches away from them, he stopped. Hermione could sense, and oddly, could almost see fear and hesitation radiating from his whole being.

Bellatrix must have sensed this also and tugged Harry's hair hard, forcing him to look up. It was like a silent invitation to come and identify him.

"Well?" Bellatrix whispered in that hoarse, strangled voice that seemed oddly familiar to Hermione. The witch's eager expression and excited smile sent shivers down Hermione's spine as if she had seen that expression on Bellatrix before.

With Malfoy's back turned to her, Hermione couldn't see his face, but she sure could sense the hesitation in his voice when he said: "I can't be sure."

Upon hearing this, Lucius scowled and approached his son, clasping him by the nape of his neck. "Look closely, son," he hissed to Draco. "If we were the ones to turn Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be…forgiven. All will be fine as it was, understand?"

Hermione heard this little exchange and found Draco nodding.

_Oh no,_ Hermione thought. _Surely, he doesn't hate us that much to sell us out. Please. Please let him think twice. Please let him be the person that has some good in him, somehow. Surely…Surely, there is some good in him. Surely he is not that evil…_

And for the first time in her life, Hermione Granger found herself internally pleading for Malfoy's mercy and praying to God for Malfoy to be a good person…._**somehow**_…

* * *

Draco could sense the fear in his father's usual cold and stoic voice. He found himself nodding. Of course, what person with a sane mind would want to be on the Dark Lord's bad side? Potter and his goody-good minions are examples of what happens when you are not in the favor of the Dark Lord. But still, he found it hard to sell out his schoolmates, even though he hated them in all the years that he knew these stupid Gryffindors. He knew that even a little bit, his father didn't want this. It's about time his father realized his mistake and the mess he dragged his family into. But still, they have to stay loyal to the Dark Side in order to save their hides from Voldemort's wrath. Not to mention to uphold hundreds of centuries Pureblood traditions. If ever the Light won, then they can get themselves out. His father had done it before. That slippery man. They can get out of any harsh punishment.

But right now, those are not the things that needed pondering. He needed to have the gall to speak up and sell his fellow students out. Or they would be considered the last of the Malfoy line.

He was ready. Yes, Draco is ready to sell his schoolmates out, even if it was against his conscience. To save his family. But…

"Now, we won't be forgetting _**who**_ actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy?" Scabior spoke up. _Stupid Snatcher, can't hold his tongue, _Draco thought, annoyed. Now he was bothered by his doubts again.

Lucius huffed irately and Draco knew that his father was beyond annoyed and frustrated. "You dare to talk like that to me in my OWN HOUSE?!" Lucius snarled.

"Lucius!" Narcissa scolded, putting an arm to pull Lucius away from their son who was probably shaken by the events.

Bellatrix who was still keeping hold of Harry's hair took Draco's hand and guided him towards Harry.

"Don't be shy, sweetie," Bellatrix rasped in an eerie whisper. "Come over."

* * *

Hermione looked at Draco's form with fear. The litany inside her head continued as he bent down to inspect Harry's face.

"Now, if this isn't who we think it is, Draco," Bellatrix said. "And we call _him, he'll _kill us all. We have to be absolutely sure."

"What's wrong with his face?" Draco asked, his voice laced with confusion. "Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix asked the Snatchers. Hermione tensed up and she felt that Ron did too.

Could they see through the jinx she put on Harry?

"Something he picked up in a forest or ran into," Scabior answered. Bellatrix's face lit up with realization. "Ran into a Stinging Jinx," she mused aloud.

Of course, Hermione inwardly slapped herself. Bellatrix would see right through it. It was once rumored that she was once the best spell caster in their year. And why would Voldemort recruit a 16-year-old student to be a Death Eater if he or she is an idiot and incompetent?

The crazy witch then turned to her and Ron.

_Oh, no,_ Hermione thought. Both she and Ron cast side glances at each other.

"Was it your doing?" Bellatrix said, looking pointedly at Hermione. It was definitely not a question. This woman surely gives Hermione the creeps.

"Give me her wand," Bellatrix ordered. She then started walking towards them like a black widow creeping towards its prey.

Damn! Just damn.

Hermione felt her internal organs preparing themselves to receive the Killing Curse. Her insides are already down 5° Celsius and her blood is running cold.

"We'll see what her last spell was," Bellatrix continued.

Hermione bit back a gasp as she and Ron were roughly pulled aside.

"Got you!" Bellatrix quipped, giggling madly.

…..

Then she gasped.

Hermione turned to see what made the witch react like that. And to her great horror…

One of the Snatchers is holding the Sword of Gryffindor. And Bellatrix is staring at it.

_Oh, Merlin…Please no.._

"What is that?" she asked. "Where'd you get that from?"

"It was in her bag when we searched her," the Snatcher replied. Then he gave a crooked smile. "Reckon it's mine now."

That suddenly ticked Bellatrix off. She did a Non-Verbal Disarming Spell on the Snatcher that made him let go of the sword. Bellatrix caught it and started choking and whipping the Snatchers.

"ARE YOU MAD?!"

_Of course, you idiot! _Hermione thought wryly. _That's Bellatrix Lestrange!_

She started to wrap the whip around Scabior's neck and pulled him with it. "Go!"

"GOOOOO!"

The Snatchers scrambled out of the Manor, fearing the wrath of the Dark Lord's most trusted follower.

Bellatrix then started to walk towards her and Ron.

_Shit._

"Cissy," Bellatrix ordered, pulling Ron away from his place next to her. "Put the boys in the cellar!"

Hermione thought that she was going to collapse from fear as she watched Narcissa drag her best friend by the collars of their jackets, right into Greyback's waiting hands. Her attention shifted to Bellatrix who was now facing her.

"I want a conversation with this one," Bellatrix said menacingly, "Girl to girl!"

Hermione felt fear she never thought she would feel. It was the feeling that you know you could die at any moment without saying goodbye to your friends, to Ron, to your parents… But, somehow…she oddly felt…light…That odd lurch in her nerves and blood is back.

Bellatrix held her collar and Hermione instinctively gripped the hand that was holding her, trying to wrench free. But her actions seemed to agitate the deranged woman more because Bellatrix threw her to the floor. Her backside painfully hit the floor with a loud thud. It was a good thing she managed to support herself using her arms.

"I'll ask you, Mudblood," Bellatrix hissed, inching towards her. Hermione again felt the familiar searing pain in her wrist. It was always like that whenever someone called her that gruesome word. Hermione's breathing escalated to rapid puffs as fear threatened to make her black out right there and then. But she can't deny that she was feeling light and skittish that moment. Her it was as if her blood cells are doing somersaults and were threatening to burst out from her veins.

"And don't you dare lie to me," Bellatrix warned. "I'll ask you once. Where did you get that sword?"

"We just found it," Hermione replied automatically. Hermione emitted a short scream as Bellatrix launched herself atop her and put her arm on Hermione's neck. She drew her face closer to Hermione. The younger witch started to tear up. Bellatrix practically reeked. Her teeth were rotten and her whole being is literally spewing the scent of evil, blood and death.

Though Hermione felt she was going to go insane with fear and Bellatrix's thoughts were already deranged with annoyance, both women can't deny the feeling of being light. What is happening?

But Bellatrix, being Bellatrix, chose to ignore it and started to interrogate the terrified girl.

"The sword was supposed to be in my vault!" she hissed into Hermione's face.

"No…no, please," Hermione sobbed. "We just found it.."

"Did you and your friends break into my vault?" Bellatrix said. "Did you steal it? What else did you take from my vault?"

"No…Please…We didn't steal anything," Hermione continued to sob. "We just found it!"

In Hermione's panicked state of mind and blurry eyes, she couldn't see the transformation of Bellatrix's expression from that of insanely angry to extremely baffled.

Little did the young witch know that at that moment, Bellatrix was once again visited by her sanity.

* * *

As Bellatrix was interrogating Hermione, she noticed that the girl's appearance was slowly changing. The girl's complexion turned to a milky white and her hair started to turn darker and wavy. The contours of her face started to change and it became more angular, sharp and aristocratic-looking. And her eyes…. It seemed as if her pupils dilated and covered the entirety of her irises because it became black as coal. But then, Bellatrix swore she saw the girl's eyes turn red…And then brown…And then turned red..It turned red and brown alternately like embers.

Bellatrix held back a gasp. Even the aura the girl is giving…It's not that of a Mudblood. Of course she can distinguish the aura of a person's blood, considering she is a Black and it was instilled in their bloodline that they are always pure. Thus they have the Black Offspring connection, which can sense through even the strongest blood concealing charms and potions in the Wizarding World. And Bellatrix could not believe it. This Muggle girl… Is not entirely Muggle. The aura her blood is giving is extremely different… It almost felt like…

A Pureblood…

But how can it be?

Bellatrix did a double take at the girl…No…She Must be seeing things…Maybe this girl is tricking her! Yes! She must be! She was the called the Brightest Witch of Her Age wasn't she? That know-it-all wench?

Shaking her head, Bellatrix did what could distract her. She plunged her knife in Hermione's arm and carved there the derogatory word: **MUDBLOOD**.

* * *

The moment the knife pierced her skin, she felt her senses starting to go numb. The pain was blinding. She could feel every stroke of knife. She could feel every letter that this deranged woman was carving. It's one thing to be scarred for life. To remind her of what she is and no matter what happens, she will always be looked down upon by some people because of her blood. But her pride was destroyed when she saw the Malfoy family standing there and watching Bellatrix torture her. Her eyes riveted towards Draco, pleading for him to intervene.

She squealed when Bellatrix plunged the knife deeper and carved what seemed like a letter "d". Hermione felt her lip bleed from biting. No. She won't break down in front of these people.

The torment finally stopped as Bellatrix stood up and admired her masterpiece. "That's a reminder, you filthy wench," she growled at the almost unconscious witch. "That you must know your place in this world. Now, will you answer the question?"

"I-I t-told you the—the truth," Hermione stuttered weakly, "W-we….we f-found it…"

"Insolent Mudblood!" Bellatrix screamed. "CRUCIO!"

Hermione felt as if she was stabbed by knives from all directions. The pain was blinding. She writhed on the floor in pain. She then heard someone screaming her name. It sounded like Ron because of some curses and profanities. But she can't tell whether it was just in her imagination or not, because she herself was screaming. She felt wetness on her cheeks and she realized that she was crying.

"Tell the truth!"

"I—It w—wa—ass t-truth..!"

"CRUCIO!"

The pain she felt doubled and it was like hot iron being pierced into your skin… All her senses went numb…This was going to be the end of it…

At least she would die fighting for what was right.

But then…suddenly…

The pain stopped..

She lifted her eyes slowly to her tormentor who wore a look of surprise on her face.

And she heard one familiar name she so often heard in her nightmares…

"_**Vixelle…"**_

* * *

_**A/N: **__THE MOMENT OF TRUTH! Okayyyy…. So, there you go… the first part of Chapter Four… I know it's cliffy and short, but there's a part two…And that will be where all the revelations and realizations will occur… So stay tuned! __ Anyway, I'm sorry for the looooonnngggg update… I promise to write and update faster…Thank you for all the lovely reviews and the support…! Love you guys, and mwahugz to all!_


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